Editorials

Dodgers News: Friedman Comments On Olivera’s Hamstring Injury

Bryan Terry-The Oklahoman
Bryan Terry-The Oklahoman

The Los Angeles Dodgers have dealt with several injuries so far this season, often needing to call up prospects from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill out their 25-man roster. But more recently there was plenty of focus on a player with the Oklahoma City Dodgers who went down with an injury.

Dodgers infield prospect Hector Olivera, whom many believed was close to being called up to the Majors, left Saturday’s game with a left hamstring injury. According to J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News, Dodgers president of baseball operations estimated Olivera will miss 2-3 weeks with the hamstring strain:

It’s not like a wrist you can x-ray and say, ‘OK, it’s healed’,” Friedman said. “It was minor in nature, which is good, and so he’s in Arizona right now and rehabbing. When we get to the point of him not having any pain with it, we’ll ramp up baseball activity.”

As for on-field matters, Friedman is encouraged by both Olivera’s bat and his defense:

He started getting his legs under him, timing at the plate, the quality of at-bats were really good,” Friedman said. “He’s played predominantly on the right side of the infield. It’s a different throwing stroke from second than from third. Jose Vizcaino was there for a week with him, pregame doing stuff on the chalkboard, then started ramping up to playing more games at third. That was the plan until he got hurt. All in all, the acclimation on the field and off the field, things are going really well.”

The 30-year-old prospect was swinging the bat well before the injury, batting .387 with one home run in seven games at Triple-A. Due to the injury, it would appear Olivera will not be called up until after the All-star break at the earliest. The Dodgers signed the Cuban native to a six-year, $62.5 million contract in mid-May.

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